The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for venting an information handling system chassis.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Increasing power requirements for information handling systems continues to drive the need for greater venting area in the information handling system chassis in order to satisfy thermal dissipation needs. Challenges exist in balancing the need for thermal dissipation with the concerns arising with respect to aesthetic appeal, structural integrity, and electromagnetic interference. For example, some industry standards, such as the Intel BTX standard, utilize venting on the front of the information handling system chassis. Incorporating the necessary venting on the front of the information handling system chassis degrades the structural integrity of the chassis, can acoustically impact the chassis negatively, and provides undesirable, direct visual access to the internal components of the information handling system. In addition, such added venting must be accomplished without adding size to the system, in order to minimize the cost of shipping the system.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for venting a chassis absent the disadvantages found in the prior methods discussed above.